Wig support



June 21, 1966 J. WOLDER WIG SUPPORT Filed March 16, 1964 I NVEN TOR. Ja/m/v/v/l MADE? BY 5 MM ATTORNEY 3,257,048 WIG SUPPORT Johanna Wolder, 435 E..14th St., New York 14, N.Y. Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,397 Claims. (Cl. 22367) The present invention relates generally to improvements in devices for facilitating the support and grooming of wigs and the like and it relates particularly to an improved collapsible wig stand.

In the handling, storing and grooming of wigs it is a common practice to mount or fit the wig on a rigid head model or form shaped to support the wig in the manner in which it is normally worn. While these models greatly facilitate the proper grooming of the wig and permit the suitable preservation thereof they possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They are large, heavy and bulky devices which are awkward to handle, store and transport, are highly inflexible, and otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved device for facilitating the support, storage and grooming of wigs and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wing stand.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wig stand which can be collapsed into a compact form which expedites the carrying and storing thereof and which can be easily and rapidly erected and ready for use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible wig stand of the above nature characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, versatility, and ease of operation.

The above and other objects-of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a wig stand embodying the present invention and illustrated in an erected condition, a supported wig being shown in broken line;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof in a collapsed condition;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention in an erected condition; and 7 FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a support device comprising a' base member, an inflatable collapsible form mounted atop said base member and having an upwardly convex top face and a bottom opening hermetically sealed to the top face of said base member and communicating with-said port, and a check valve registering with said port.

According to a preferred form of the present device there is provided an open topped receptacle, the base member defining the cover of the receptacle and separably engaging and retained in registry with the opening with the base member in a normal or inverted condition. The head form, when in a collapsed condition, fits Within the covered receptacle. The check valve is defined by a flap hinged to the upper face of the base member and engaging said port and the collapsible form has a peripheral flange directed outwardly from the opening in said form. A clamp ring engages the flanged and is secured to the base member. In accordance with another form of the present device a plurality of legs are hinged to the underface of the base member and are swingable between extended depending positions and collapsed positions abutting the underface of the base member.

United States Patent 0 3,257,048 Patented June 21, 1966 Referring now to the drawing and more particularly FIGURES 1 to 3 thereof which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved collapsible wig stand illustrated as supporting a wig W. The wig stand 10 comprises a preferably cylindrical receptacle 11 formed of any suitable material such as synthetic organic thermoplastic resin, for example polystyrene and the like, and including a bottom wall 12 and an upstanding cylindrical wall 13 having a peripheral shoulder formed in its inner face shortly below the upper edge thereof.

Associated with the receptacle 11 is a base defining circular cover member 14 separably registering with the receptacle top opening and having a depending peripheral skirt 16 which slidably telescopes the receptacle 11 and rests on the inner peripheral shoulder of the wall 13. It should be notedthat the cover member 14 may engage the receptacle opening and shoulder in its normal receptacle closing position as illustrated in FIGURE 2 or in an inverted position as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The center of the cover member 14 is of enlarged thickness providing a conduit projecting above and below the cover 14 and having a port defining axial bore 17 formed therein and including a lower valve seat section 18, and an upper mouthpiece section 19. A flexible flap 20 is hinged to the end face 21 of the valve seat section 18 and registers with the port 17 defining therewith a check valve 22. The

flap 20 is advantageously formed of a natural or synthetic rubber and the cover member is formed of any suitable 30 material such as that forming the receptacle 11.

A collapsible inflatable wig supporting form 24 is afiixed to the underface of the cover member 14, and when the form 24 is inflated and in position for use with the cover member 14 inverted, .it is directed upwardly from the cover member 14. The form 24 may be formed of a suitable. pliable flexible material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, rubberized cloth, flexible saran, polyvinyl f chloride or the like and includes a spherically shaped head simulating upper section 26, a constricted intermediate lower section 27. Directed outwardly from the bottom edge of the lower section 27 is an integrally formed peripheral flange 28. The flange 28 is sandwiched between the underface of the cover member 14 and the confronting face of a relatively stiff annulus 29 superimposed on the flange 28 and aflixed to the cover member 14 by means of screws 30 to secure the form 24 to the cover member 14 and effect a hermetic seal therebetween.

In the inoperative condition of the wig stand 10, suitable for carrying and storing purposes, the collapsed form 24 is housed in the receptacle .11, as shown in FIGURE- 2, the receptacle in turn being closed by the cover 14. In erecting the wig stand 10. for use, the cover 14 is separated from the receptacle 11 carrying the form 14 with it, and the form 14 is fully inflated through the mouthpiece 19. The cover member 14 is then returned, in an inverted position, into registry with the receptacle opening and the inflated form 24 is thus supported in an upright position by the receptacle 13 and may be used to support the wig W for any desired purpose. It should be noted that the check valve 22 is oriented to normally prevent the escape of air therethrough from the inflated form 24. In order to collapse the wig stand 10 the cover 14 is separated from the receptacle 111 and the form 24 is deflated by opening the valve 22 and squeezing the form 24 to express substantially all the air therefrom. The valve 22 may be opened merely by inserting a rod such as a pencil through the port 17 to swing the flap 20 out of engagement with the valve seat. The collapsed form 24 is then housed in the receptacle 11 which is closed by the cover 14.

In-FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings there is illustrated another embodiment of the present invention which is designated by the reference numeral 32. The wig stand 32 includes a rectangularbase plate 33 having superimposed thereon a coinciding rectangular top plate 34 having a centrally located large circular opening. Supported by the base plate 33 and directed upwardly therefrom is a collapsible inflatable form 36 similar in construction to the previously described form 24 and having a peripheral flange 37 surrounding the bottom opening there in and sandwiched between the base plate 33 and the confronting face of the plate 34 bordering the opening therein. The plates 33 and 34 are secured by a ring of screws 38 which engage the peripheral flange 37 to effect an hermetic seal between the form 36 and the base plate 33. Centrally located on the base plate 33 is a mouthpiece 39 which terminates at the opposite face of the base plate 33 in a check valve similar to the check valve 22 set forth above.

Located at each of the corners of the underface of the base plate 33 is a depending bracket 40. There are provided a pair of opposite .U-shaped collapsible support members 41, each of which includes a bottom cross-piece 42 and a pair of upwardly directed end legs 43 which terminate in outwardly directed stop defining lugs 44. Each of the support members is preferably integrally formed of wire and the upper end of each of the legs 43 at its elbow with a respective lug 44 is hinge connected to a corresponding bracket 44. Thus the support members41 are swingab'le between extended downwardly diverging positions as limited by the lugs 44 bearing on the underface of the base plate 33 and as illustrated in the drawing and collapsed positions abutting the underface of the base plate 33.

In employing the wig stand 32 the form 32 is inflated as earlier described and the support members 41 extended. The erected wig stand 32 is placed on a table or other support surface and used as desired. The wig stand 32 is particularly adapted for use with long wigs by reason of the high elevation thereof above the support surface as effected by the extended support member 31. To collapse the wig stand 32 the form 36 is merely deflated and the support members 41 folded against the underface of the base plate 33. It should be noted that a rectangular receptacle may be associated with the base plate 33 to house the deflated form 36 in the manner of the receptacle 11'.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible wig stand comprising a receptacle having a top opening, a cover member separably registering with said receptacle opening and having an inner and outer face, an inflatable collapsible form having an upwardly convex top face and a bottom opening and being hermetically sealed to the inner face of said cover member, said form when in deflated condition fitting in said receptacle, and a check valve providing access to the interior of said form.

2. A collapsible wig stand comprising a receptacle having a top opening, a cover member separably registering with said receptacle opening and having an inner and outer face and having a port formed therein, an inflatable collapsible form having an upwardly convex top face and a bottom opening and being hermetically sealed to the inner face of said cover member and communicating with said port, said form when in deflated condition fitting in said receptacle, and a check valve providing access to the interior of said form.

3. The collapsible wig stand of claim 2 wherein said check valve comprises a flap connected to the inner face of said cover member and releasably engaging said port.

4. The collapsible wig stand of claim 2 wherein said cover member is engageable by said receptacle opening with said inner face alternatively in an upwardly and downwardly directed position, means for retaining said cover member at the upper level of said receptacle.

5. The collapsible wig stand of claim 2 wherein said form has a bottom peripheral flange directed outwardly from said opening therein, and including a locking ring superimposed on said flange and secured to said cover member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,330 11/1922 Wiener 22367 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,251,331 12/ 1960 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE WIG STAND COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE HAVING A TOP OPENING, A COVER MEMBER SEPARATELY REGISTERING WITH SAID RECEPTACLE OPENING AND HAVING AN INNER AND OUTER FACE, AN INFLATABLE COLLAPSIBLE FORM HAVING AN UPWARDLY CONVEX TOP FACE AND A BOTTOM OPENING AND BEING HERMETICALLY SEALED TO THE INNER FACE OF SAID COVER MEMBER, SAID FORM WHEN IN DEFLATED CONDITION FITTING IN SAID RECEPTACLE, AND A CHECK VALVE PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID FORM. 